False Memories

[VampiricTouch]

The request unsettled her, but with the driving thoughts... He has my best interest in mind, I can trust him... She obeyed. She racked her brain for the last time she'd seen a model on a catwalk, pulling up a dusty memory of something she'd seen on TV... Moving to the far end of the wall, her hands slowly dropped to her side as she took a deep breath. She just had to walk... right? It... couldn't be that hard! A small residing fear welled up inside from having asked to display so much... what was it... ?

Her face lifted with mock confidence, and she took her first step forward. Her eyes were focused on the opposite wall, purposely avoiding eye contact as she moved. Her gait, though natural, was stiff and rigid with her embarrassment, evident in both the overly flamboyant sway in her steps and the scarlet that colored her cheeks.

She made it to the congregation of chairs they'd sit at before pausing, taking a step back stiffly to display the curves of her body, fully bringing out the innocent sensuality of her lingerie. Then pivoting on one foot she turned and returned to the safety of the walls, in an attempt to steady her shaking hands... incapable of understanding why she felt so utterly uncomfortable with something that should be so natural.

________________

OOC: okay I know that was significantly less sexy than what I could've done... but if I topped the sexy meters here... I'd be screwed trying to do it later...

 

[marauder13]

Gordon frowned slightly at Melanie's lack of grace and poise. It seemed like there might have been some some resistance to the idea at some level. He would review the wording of his command, and see if there was something missing, or if the Sanctuary was not as effective as first thought. Still, he would ask her about once she was done.

As she moved, he saw the facade she was presenting. The look was plastered on, and she was not making eye contact at all. This was not the type of behaviour he was anticipating. Never the less, it was giving him excellent feedback for his to better plan further tests with Melanie, and then with other test subjects later.

When she reached the chairs, there was a slight step backward. The move brought out the full shape of her petite, but nicely rounded body as it was framed by her underwear. It seemed to be the most relaxed of her poses. She then turned and walked back to the wall, perhaps a little faster than when she walked away from it and close to Gordon.

"Thank you, Melanie. That was a very good display you presented. But I noticed some hesitation in what you were doing. I mean this is a perfectly natural thing for you to do, yet you seemed possibly embarrassed or some other emotion. Was there something wrong? I thought it would have gone smoothly for you. I didn't ask this of you lightly. It is a very important request, with far reaching impact on what we're working towards.

"So, why don't you come back, strip off completely, sit down and tell me what you were thinking and feeling while you were displaying your underwear."

 

[VampiricTouch]

The feigned confidence in her shoulders dissipated as her shoulders sagged, knowing that he had caught on to her discomfort. She walked back to her chair, reaching backwards to unclasp her bra as she moved. Setting that aside, she tucked her fingers under the laced rim and rolled down her panties. She bent over to pick them up before sitting down in her chair with her arms and legs crossed - effectively relaxed but still concealing the main points of her nudity.

"I'm sorry. I know this is perfectly natural. Nothing was wrong... I - I just... I'm not very comfortable with my own body. I've never been comfortable honestly. I think for the longest time my main reason for competing with men was so that I didn't have to worry about appearances. "

"I know it started out with the argument that it wasn't necessary to dress up when the quality of a person's work was more important than a person's looks. Somewhere along the way I guess I lost the confidence that I could still look nice... and was pleasantly surprised." She paused a moment with her eyes glued to the floor and a hand toying with a lock of her hair.

"When you asked me to display my underwear... I think the most predominant thought was What if I don't look the way you expect..." She chuckled a bit now that she had the chance to think about it.

"It's silly I know. I had the same sinking terror when Sandra and I picked out that set of lingerie... She came into the dressing room as I changed to see how it looked... and believe me Sandra looks gorgeous in anything. Of course... it doesn't help that I'm Asian and my genetic background says I'm doomed to be lacking in..." Her hands rose to cup her breasts, lifting them for emphasis before continuing, " this department."

 

[marauder13]

Gordon watched as the facade dropped and she returned to her chair. Without pausing, she removed her last pieces of clothing and sat down, limbs crossed and covering her more personal parts. Again, he was surprised by this move, and was going to followup when she spoke.

He listened carefully to everything she said, taking notes about her feelings about herself. He reviewed what notes he took down, and looked back at the young woman sitting across from him. He had to admit that she was a very attractive young lady, even more so when naked.

"I don't see why you should be uncomfortable with your appearance. As I have said, you are an attractive woman, and there is nothing wrong with you at all. I know you are sitting comfortably, but please sit as you would if you were fully dressed. I insist. There is no need to deliberately hide yourself like that.

"Yes, you are correct, your outer appearance has no effect on your abilities or skill set. However, it does unfortunately reflect on the person in some professional settings. For example, if I was to dress more casually, go unshaven for a week or more, few people would have confidence in me as a physician. But there is more to it than that.

"Confidence also plays a big part. If you have confidence in yourself, most obstacles will be easily overcome. One sign of your lack of confidence was when you said... 'What if I don't look the way you expect'. You looked exactly as I expected. You had nothing to fear. I will tell you, as a person, not as your physician, you are an attractive woman.

"Now, a woman's appearance is base on more than the size of her breasts. You are well proportioned for your height. You are gifted with nice curves, which give you quite a flattering figure. Again, it all comes back to the confidence of the woman wearing the lingerie. Sandra is very comfortable with herself now. She had doubts like you, facets she didn't like. Now, she has accept who she is, and that, in turn, effects how she looks in different clothing."

He consulted his notes once more, searching for the relevant part he needed to consult.

"You are a person who is very regimented in their approach to life. Planning, control, reducing the impact of the unexpected all seem to be hallmarks of your lifestyle. Even in the most personal of matters, you have the strong desire for control. One of the key elements of rape is it's a crime of power and control. The rapist takes away control from the victim. For someone like you, that is a terrifying concept.

"The best way to remove some of the power that this phobia has over you is for you to relinquish some of your tight self control. To be able to roll with the unexpected a bit better. Do not mistake what I am saying. It will not solve the matter, but it will be another means of helping you resolve what is happening.

"There is something I would like you to think about, and give very serious thought to. In our next session, I would like you to test your confidence levels with me. I would like you to, of your own accord, remove as much clothing as you feel comfortable doing for our session. You will not be punished, or thought of in a negative way if you decide not to remove anything, or just remove some articles but not all.

"In our next session, we will resume looking at the root cause of the reaction, and it's severity." He looked at his watch, and noted the time. There were still a few minutes of the session left.

"Do you have any further questions, comments or the like you wish to ask or say at this time?"

 

[VampiricTouch]

Melanie returned home and immediately placed a call to eat dinner with Sandra. Her best friend was waiting on the porch as Melanie pulled into the driveway... Obviously there was some breakthrough in her therapy...

"So, I think things are going really well with Dr. Malahki. I mean... this problem is seriously fading, and I feel like we're taking steps towards overcoming it... Of course this was the first session I actually... remembered, everything prior has been done under hypnotherapy, but since my visits, the paranoia has been easing off."

Sandra grinned and took a few more bites of her pasta as she waited for Melanie to continue her gushing review of Dr. Malahki's success. Melanie had paused long enough to take a long drought of her iced tea before plowing forward.

"So. Today. It was odd. I fainted while I was in the middle of his therapy session, it's never happened to me before but... thats beside the point. So he asked me to strip down and pinpointed that a part of my phobia might be due to a lack of confi- "

"He asked what?! Are we still talking about the same person here? Strip down to what?" Sandra had furrowed her brows with concern at the word 'fainted' but with the words strip...

"What? Dr. Gordon Malahki. He asked me to strip down to my underwear. He even asked me to try a catwalk, of which I completely botched up, and then those came off too. It was perfectly natural... Of course, I felt absolutely self conscious about myself an-"

"Wait wait wait... you're serious?! Natural?! First of all, we can't be talking about the same doctor here. Second, no practicing psychiatrist would ask you to do such a thing Melanie. How in the world can you say that's natural? I think he's taking advantage of you Melanie." Sandra's shock brought her voice to sharp authority, stopping Melanie's innocent prattle to a complete standstill.

"But... he wouldn't do something like that... I trust him. I'm sure he has my best interests in mind. Besides you're the one who recommended him..."

"And I'm sorry that I did. Because he's taking advantage of you and you're too trusting to even question it." Sandra's face darkened with her anger and concern.

"but..."

"If you don't trust my judgment on his actions, then I think you need to get a second opinion. "

"Are you sure...?"

"Of course I am."

"Alright... if you say so..."

"Promise"

"Okay. I'll go request a second opinion."

Melanie smiled at her concerned friend as they moved on to other topics for the night. The next morning, Melanied called in and canceled her appointment with Dr. Malahki's receptionist as Sandra began to search for a second practitioner... for a second opinion.

 

[marauder13]

Gordon was pleased with the impact of the Sanctuary on Melanie. If was showing that there was huge potential of this technique in a therapeutic situation. As he sat down to eat his dinner, his mind wandered back to the three different images of Melanie.

In her professional work wear. Her new style was impressive. She still looked professional, but there was no mistaking that she was a woman who was comfortable and confident in her femininity. Also, it was very flattering to her figure in a subtle and subdued manner.

In her underwear. Her choice of lingerie was superb, and it was very flattering to her as well. He felt his temperature rise a little as he watched her do her model style walk. It made him wonder if he could use the Sanctuary to make her into a model? And if he could make her into a model, could he make her into something else?

Her naked. Gordon felt his cheeks finally redden, hours after the event. Melanie was feeling a low self esteem in her own body shape. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her body shape. She was indeed a very attractive young woman. She was one that he would not reject is she ever made advances on him.

"Of course, with the Sanctuary, it would be easy for that to happen." He seriously thought of that as a test. He knew that there was a huge amount of personal bias there, but would it serve as a valid test? He spent the rest of the night going through the pros and cons of such a test.

The next day saw one of his clients depart, on good terms. He had reached a point where his issues were under sufficient control that another strand of therapy could be used to continue to move him forward. Whenever this happened, Gordon felt he had succeeded in his work. He said farewell to Samson for the last time.

When Samson had left the reception area, his receptionist flagged him down.

"Doctor, you've had a cancellation by Miss Chan." She handed him a note. Gordon frowned slightly. There was no reason given. "Thank you, Sarah." He walked back into his office wondering what was wrong.

He sat down at his desk, leaning back thinking of what possible causes there would be. His instructions were clear, and she would not view what happened yesterday as being unusual, or noteworthy. He tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair as he ran through the possibilities. Something must have happened, an emergency of some sort. He decided that he would call her during his lunch break and see if there was a problem he could help with.

But during the session before his lunch break that another idea came to mind. His client mentioned how she was talking to her best friend about the progress she had made since seeing him. The thought crossed his mind that Melanie might have mentioned her last session to someone else. It was unlikely, given the speed under which it had occurred, but it was a possibility to keep in mind. But it was one that played on his mind more and more because it was a weakness in what was being trialled.

Finally on his lunch break, he opted to call Melanie then, and to make definitely sure that matters were properly addressed. He called Melanie's cell, waiting for her answer.

"Hello, Melanie speaking."

"Ashes are ashes, dust is dust." He paused for a moment or two. "Melanie, when you return from this place of peace and sanctuary, you will answer all of my questions truthfully and honestly, as well as follow any of my directives given during the phone call. You will do them without question and without conferring with anyone else about them. Finally, you will remember this time as waiting for line interference to clear. Melanie, return to where you came from." He paused for another second or two.

"Hello, Melanie. Doctor Malakhi here. I was wondering why you canceled your appointment. Is there a problem? Anything I can help you with perhaps? Please, tell me the reason for the cancellation."

 

[VampiricTouch]

Sandra had joined Melanie during her lunch break to discuss who they were going to consult for a second opinion when Melanie's phone rang.

"Hello Melanie speaking."

Sandra set her notebook aside and began to work on her salad as she waited for Melanie to finish her call. She had taken two bites of her salad and looked up, a bit curious about the silence of her friend... and nearly choked when Melanie finally answered.

"Hi, Doctor Malakhi. I canceled the appointment after I had a talk with Sandra. She felt that stripping down to my underwear, and then to nothing was something you shouldn't have requested as a physician and very strongly believed that you were taking advantage of me. Therefore, we were going to ask for a second opinion."

"Melanie!" Sandra hissed at her friend who had been so forthright to the one person they were having doubts about. "You shouldn't be telling him that! ugh... Just ... tell him that you'll contact him again when you've had a second opinion and hang up."

Melanie looked up at her friend with her confusion and finally nodded, "Dr. Malahki, I'm afraid Sandra probably is right... I will contact you again after we've had a second opinion. "

 

[marauder13]

There was the momentary pause before Melanie answered his question.

"Hi, Doctor Malakhi. I canceled the appointment after I had a talk with Sandra. She felt that stripping down to my underwear, and then to nothing was something you shouldn't have requested as a physician and very strongly believed that you were taking advantage of me. Therefore, we were going to ask for a second opinion."

Gordon grimaced as he admonished himself mentally for missing that possibility. He started formulating how he would fix this problem with the least amount of impact when he heard Sandra's voice in the background. He slumped slightly as the tension flowed out of him.

"Dr. Malahki, I'm afraid Sandra probably is right... I will contact you again after we've had a second opinion. "

"Oh, that's fine Melanie. Before you go to the ladies to wash your hands, could you pass the phone to Sandra please?"

Sandra looked a little surprised as Melanie handed the phone to her. Sandra contemplated hanging up as she watched Melanie walking off.

"Listen, Doctor Malakhi, before you say anything else -"

"Ashes are ashes, dust is dust." He waited, seeing in his mind's eye as Sandra entered the Sanctuary she helped Gordon discover. "Sandra, you will be completely supportive of the therapy that I am conducting with Melanie, and you will not do anything to remove her from the work we are doing together. Anything she discusses with you will remain strictly confidential, just between you and her. You will agree with anything I do with her, as you will know it is important that she does it, and there is nothing wrong with anything we do together. When you leave this place of peace and Sanctuary, you will remember us discussing your concerns, and finding that you were mistaken. Return to the place from where you came." He paused allowing her to return. "Thank you, Sandra, for telling me about your concerns. It is good that Melanie has a friend that is wanting to help her so much. Rebuilding the self confidence and self image can require some... interesting methods. So, as you can see, there is no need to seek a second opinion on this matter."

"No, I'm sorry, Doctor Malakhi. I didn't mean to cause any problems. It was just... unusual that's all. But I understand now. Oh, Melanie's back. Do you want to talk to her again?"

"Yes, thank you." He heard the phone pass back to Melanie. "Hello again, Melanie. Sandra and I had a quick talk about her concerns. I managed to waylay her fears about what happened, and she now understands what I was doing. So, I'll see you again at the normal time, Melanie. Oh, and if you ever need to discuss your therapy, Sandra is the person for you to talk to.

"Thank you for your time, Melanie, and explaining what was happening. Take care and I will see you next week. Bye."

Gordon sat back and reviewed what happened to bring this about, and what happened since. He needed to make sure that any more breaches such as that one didn't occur again. He was sure that this incident was covered, but before the next session, he would make sure that these kind of disturbances were a thing of the past. There was too much at stake to allow such important research to be threatened.

 

[VampiricTouch]

Melanie set the phone down with a smile of relief, "So, what did you talk about? What did he tell you?"

Sandra, who had returned to her salad, looked up and shrugged, "We were discussing my concerns, and I found that I was mistaken. "

"That easily? Oh come on... Surely he said more, I want to know what he said!" Melanie grinned with triumph as she took a sip from her soup.

"Well... he said that rebuilding the self confidence and self image can require some interesting methods" Sandra mumbled quietly before waving it away, a bit annoyed that Melanie was prying.

"Well, I told you that we could trust Dr. Malakhi. Which reminds me, I have an appointment with him next week and he asked me to practice being confident... He said I should remove as much clothing as I felt comfortable doing for our session. " Melanie gave her the last 'I told you so' look before changing the subject. Her cheeks quickly colored as she remembered Dr. Malakhi's request.

"You know Mel... I have no idea why you lack the confidence... mm... actually why don't I come over tomorrow and see if I can work something out."

______________________​

Melanie quickly tidied up the house, straightening things as she waited for Sandra's arrival. The door bell rang and Melanie ran for the door. Sandra stood outside with growing impatience as she listened to Melanie unbolt all three deadbolts, unlock the door and open it... only to close it once more to unlatch the security chain she had forgotten.

"Is it really necessary to... have so many locks Mel?" Sandra asked with a touch of annoyance before setting down her bags.

"I... well no... but I feel safer this way... "

"Alright... if you say so. Now go try this stuff on... I think you'll look great in it."

Melanie picked up the bags and peeked inside then looked up at Sandra who was sitting expectantly in the same room. "Aren't you going to step out?"

"No. We're both women, and we need to get you over this silliness. You should have no problems changing in front of me."

Melanie swallowed hard and began to change, uncomfortably glancing at Sandra every so often.

"Now. Stop there... god you look hot. Come here look at yourself." Sandra's voice stopped just as Melanie started to button her blouse, dragging her by the hand to the floor length mirror that hung in her closet.

Melanie's eyes looked up to see a different woman in the reflection. Her black hair fell loosely around her face, standing in sharp contrast to the white of her blouse, of which had only one button in place as it framed the enhanced cleavage from a push up bra and it's black ruffled rim. She followed the loose line of the blouse down to the black laced boyshorts and the diamond net stockings that hugged her legs, making her already long legs, that much longer.

"You my dear... are beautiful." Sandra breathed softly, peering over Melanie's shoulder at the shocked reflection. With a lone finger, Sandra lifted her chin, giving Melanie an almost haughty confidence that she had never had as Sandra's hand snaked impishly up Melanie's front and undid the front clasp of her bra... Melanie's face went crimson as her breasts seemed to strain against the blouse holding bra and breasts in.

"Get used to that look. Tell yourself that you're sexy, and you are. I'd suggest you to just wear your undies while around the house, you have nothing to hide... and if you're comfortable with it, you can try it on the doctor."

 

[marauder13]

Gordon sat in office, waiting for Melanie to turn up for her session. He was starting to wonder about what he tapped into when he suggested the initial reason for her visiting. She obviously had some deep seated issue that needed to be dealt with, so he could push on with his research.

He consulted his notes. The persistence of the nightmares, and their impact on Melanie were a source of concern. Before he could dedicate any more thought to it, his secretary buzzed him to let him know his next client had arrived.

Melanie Chan.

He went to the door, opening it, and quietly called for Melanie to come into his office. He closed the door behind her, moving back to his desk.

"Hello, Melanie. Please, get comfortable as we will be having another hypnosis session today. I am wanting to see if we can get any closer to the root cause of these irrational thoughts you've been having." He filled two glasses with water, placing one on his desk, the other on the small table beside the chair she favoured during the sessions.

He settled into his chair, reviewing his notes as he listened to Melanie getting herself ready for the session. He decided that he would review her nightmares further, seeing what different scenarios she ran through her dreams.

"So, how has your week been, Melanie? Have you had any more nightmares, or periods of high anxiety? If so, what can you tell me of those events?"

Gordon finally looked up to see how Melanie was going with getting herself ready for the session.

 

[VampiricTouch]

She practiced. In her bedroom, in her living room... Every private moment she had in her own apartment, she practiced, getting used to her own nudity, forcing herself to lift her head when her own modesty wanted to lower it and learning to take a certain pride in her own body... even if it wasn't real. Several times her feigned pride almost felt real... but it would vanish again just as quickly as it had started.

Once the door of his office closed, she efficiently undressed to the outfit Sandra had suggested to try on the doctor. She pictured to herself the living room she'd walked around in and breathed. She could trust him. There was nothing wrong with this. She had a gorgeous body to be proud of.

Gordon finally looked up to see how Melanie was going with getting herself ready for the session.

He looked up from his notes, first seeing her stocking clad legs. The diamond netting helped clearly show off her splendid lines of her legs. Even without the effect of the shoes she had taken to wearing, her legs were still very good to look at.

His gaze paused at the black lacy panties she was wearing, though they looked more like shorts than what he considered to be normal women's panties. But that was where the complaint stopped. The way they hugged her hips, buttocks and groin region added to the allure of her natural figure, while adding to the mystique of hiding the more desirable facets of her body.

Melanie was still wearing her blouse, though artfully unbuttoned to show the edges of her black bra underneath. But her top showed signs of 'stress' from her breasts, making him wonder if she was actually wearing a bra.

He was fortunate that his own trousers and choice of underwear worked in his favour, hiding his reaction to the rather sexually appealing display before him.

"Melanie, thank you for following up on my request from the last session. It is good to see that you were able to have the trust in us both to get that far. Might I add that you do look very nice dressed like that."

Her cheeks tinted at the compliment as her eyes dropped back to the floor - no. She had to have more confidence. Quickly her head lifted as she smiled, almost naturally, "Thank you Doctor, I'm pleased that you think so. I practiced quite a bit at home."

She continued her explanation when a moment of confusion passed his face. "I had a chat with Sandra you see. She told me to get used to my own body, beginning by showing what I could look like... and telling me to wear as little clothing as possible while in my apartment. A few little things like that. I was actually able to walk around naked a couple times before bailing and getting dressed."

"Though.... it's odd. I feel like the more comfortable I get... the less safe I feel. What if someone outside my window sees this. A stalker might take that as an invitation... and ... "Her eyes squeezed shut as she thought about the dreams that seemed to conform to how she lived her life style.

 

[marauder13]

Gordon smiled at the display of slight embarrassment at his compliment. He marveled at the effect of the rose tint of her cheeks had on her. It added to her allure. But he saw her put up her facade of confidence. He was looking forward to her having actual confidence in herself. That would make her irresistable.

"Thank you Doctor, I'm pleased that you think so. I practiced quite a bit at home.

"I had a chat with Sandra you see. She told me to get used to my own body, beginning by showing what I could look like... and telling me to wear as little clothing as possible while in my apartment. A few little things like that. I was actually able to walk around naked a couple times before bailing and getting dressed."

"That's wonderful, I knew that Sandra would be supportive of your therapy. Remember, if you need to talk to someone else about what's happening, please talk to Sandra. Not only is she a good friend, but she is familiar with the techniques used."

"Though.... it's odd. I feel like the more comfortable I get... the less safe I feel. What if someone outside my window sees this. A stalker might take that as an invitation... and ... "

"Melanie, please take a seat and relax. I have a few more questions to ask you before we go into the main part of the session. Another hypnosis session. Now, as with all our hypnosis sessions, you will be safe. No one will be able to enter, or harm you."

Gordon consulted his notes, specifically searching for something amidst the pile of papers.

"Ahhh, here we are. In one of our previous sessions, I asked you about your sexual fantasies. You alluded to some sexual preferences that you sought to experiment with. But you never mentioned any of your sexual fantasies. Was that just an accidental omission? Because if you are deliberately not answering my questions, you'll be hindering your therapy.

"Before you say anything, I know that there are some things that you are not consciously aware of, and therefore not be able to answer. But if I do ask you a question, I would like an answer. Even if it is 'I don't know'.

"So, sexual fantasies. Do you have any? If so, what are they? Oh... if it makes it easier, just think of yourself alone in the room, thinking aloud. I can even turn my chair around if it will help. But doing that will make some of my observations less precise."

 

[VampiricTouch]

"So, sexual fantasies. Do you have any? If so, what are they? Oh... if it makes it easier, just think of yourself alone in the room, thinking aloud. I can even turn my chair around if it will help. But doing that will make some of my observations less precise."

She breathed, trying to calm the rapidly rising unease to think. "Sexual fantasies... Yes... the one that comes to mind right now has bondage. I suppose that's why I didn't mention it last time. I thought it was a sufficient explanation at the time."

Her eyes closed as she brought up the fantasy in her mind. "It's in my own bed. Blindfolded, with hands... legs... tied to the four corners. It's the fun fear aspect..." She spoke with a wry smile, as her pulse and breath quickened... almost as if she were reliving the fantasy once more.

"It starts with little teases, slight touches everywhere, roaming as if trying to gauge what makes me tick... until the fun fear fades into the warm glow that anticipates whats to come." She shifts, as if uncomfortable... or as if imagining the light feathery touch of fingers roaming her body.

"Then comes the slower meandering up my thighs, always at my lover's timing, never mine... but always timed perfectly." She murmured as her hands in her lap slid over stockings, splayed to caress her thighs before stopping and uncrossing her legs.

"The touch comes to trace my inner thighs, provocatively brush my center before tracing back down again." Her legs spread a little wider, enough to allow the hands in her lap to drop and brush her inner thighs. With slow languid strokes, her fingers began to trace the lace of her panties. "His hand taunts a few more times before playing in earnest."

Her free hand lifted to her breast, flushed with her own arousal, cupping and feathering her fingers over her nipples. Her head rolled back as her breath came ragged. With her mouth slightly agape, her breath caught, reminding her of her spoken narration and her fingers stopped their work.

"He stops mid way, leaving me frustrated and brings his fingers to my lips, asking me to taste myself as his body covers mine. " Her fingers followed the breathless monologue as they carried scent of her arousal and the moisture that dampened her panties to her parted lips that suckled her middle and ring finger. Her hand returned to her sex with her legs now spread wide in the display of her own body.

The damp fingers pull her panties aside to part her nether lips, dance a slow waltz across her needy body denying herself the satisfaction of their entry. "Still he taunts me, letting me feel his arousal dance so close to me... and still not give it up... until he's had me thrashing against my bonds to get at him... until he's certain that I'd probably ravage him if the ropes weren't in place." Her fingers play out her words, words made ragged and husky by her pounding need and finally they buried themselves into her depths and drew a sultry 'yessss' into the room....

The moan broke her out of her reverie, as her eyes slowly fluttered open, focusing first on the room that was not her bed, nor was it the sanctity of her own apartment and quickly to the doctor who was still sitting in front of her. Melanie turned crimson as she realized where her hands were and who she had been talking to. She bolted from her seat, turning to rest her hands and head on the wall behind her as her shoulders shook with her shame, "Sorry!! I'm so sorry. That was... lewd. Shouldn't have done that... Sorry... so... so sorry"

 

[marauder13]

Gordon sat poised to take notes as Melanie started to explain one of her main fantasies. It was not surprising to him that the theme revolved around bondage and it's associated lack of control. He listened to her words, before looking up to look at her.

He was slightly surprised to see her acting it out, her hands replacing those of the lover in her fantasies. He managed to maintain a professional outlook as she continued her actions. He felt himself stirring at the sight of Melanie displaying herself to him, teasing herself. He remembered to take some more notes, forcing himself to concentrate on the content of her fantasy, rather than her actions. He looked up again to see her pull her panties aside to stimulate herself directly. The sounds of her ragged breath and husky voice were tearing away at his professional veneer, and he felt himself reacting to her as a man who was attracted to her. Which he was.

When she plunged her fingers into her private place, he tore his eyes away, and returned to writing his notes, pulling himself back to being Doctor Malakhi, rather than Gordon.

"Sorry!! I'm so sorry. That was... lewd. Shouldn't have done that... Sorry... so... so sorry"

Her words made him lift his gaze from his notes, to look at Melanie who was shaking while hiding near the wall furthest from his seat. His expression was once more professional, purposefully soothing.

"Melanie, it's fine. It is obviously a fantasy that resonates strongly for you. It is also rather comforting for me to know that you feel so comfortable around me that you could do that. It shows a high degree of trust in me that you can act so naturally in my presence, as if you were in complete privacy. That is the ultimate compliment to a medical professional such as myself. I will admit that you are the first client to... act out a fantasy in such a way, but I am not offended.

"Now, speaking as a medical professional, it would be best to remove the panties and let them, and your body, dry out during the remainder of the session. If not, the chances of getting an infection are noticeably increased. And infections in that region of the female body are painful, and difficult to deal with. It's one of the times when 'prevention is better than the cure' really applies.

"Now, Melanie, please come and sit down after you've removed the damp clothing. We will have another hypnosis session to allow us to delve a little deeper into the source of your anxieties."

Gordon waited for Melanie to sit and settle before he went and bolted the door, and closed the blinds. He got them both a glass of water before returning to his seat.

"Ummm.... Doctor Malakhi, I'm not sure if we should do the hypnosis right now."

"If you feel uncomfortable about doing it, Melanie, then we wont. But, it will delay the process of your therapy, prolonging the effects of the anxieties you're feeling. But, as I have stated, you will be safe. Nothing will happen to you, and your well being is my primary concern. With this session, I believe that I can might be able to unearth the source of the anxiety, if not then get very close to it. But I will only do it if you feel comfortable with it, Melanie.

"Do you want to continue with the planned hypnosis session?"

With a slight biting of her top lip, Melanie nodded. Gordon waited for Melanie to ready herself.

"Thank you, Melanie. Now, close your eyes, and concentrate on my voice. Let my voice be the only thing that exists in the world apart from yourself..." He spoke for the next five minutes, guiding Melanie deeper and deeper into the hypnotic trance.

He took a moment or two to look over her with a far from professional eye, silently letting out a deep breath before focusing on the therapy.

"Ashes are ashes, dust is dust."

Again, he waited for Melanie to make the transition to the Sanctuary. "Melanie, welcome back to your place of true safety. While we here, Melanie, I will talk to you about something that is troubling you deeply, something that anywhere else you can't talk about because of the fear it strikes within you. But here, in your place of perfect safety, the one place where no harm can befall you, here you can talk of it.

"Melanie, somewhere in your past, rape touched your life and it has left a scar that we need to remove. Tell me of that event, of why it hurts you so deeply and frightens you so much. It will have no power over you here, Melanie. You can talk of it freely, without fear or pain. Speak of it so it will be forever banished from your life."

 

[VampiricTouch]

The ground opened up beneath her, the gaping maw of her Sanctuary enveloping her. The ground solidified to the grassy plains of her mind's room as the voice echoed to command her.

"Melanie, somewhere in your past, rape touched your life and it has left a scar that we need to remove. Tell me of that event, of why it hurts you so deeply and frightens you so much. It will have no power over you here, Melanie. You can talk of it freely, without fear or pain. Speak of it so it will be forever banished from your life."

She watched as the scene around her changed, the green golds blurring to darkness. Suddenly a blinding spot light lit up on her, as she now stood on the stage of her memory. Rape. The word seemed familiar. Familiarly dangerous. She watched as the shadow of red curtains flew by past her, revealing the rush of flying footage stacked away in the recesses of her mind - the sanctuary searching for the match to the voice's request.

Her brows furrowed as she searched, running nothing along the surface buried memories the stage. Nothing. The curtains fell. Once more she gazed into the darkness outside of the spotlight on her stage. A single drop of a word fell as it disturbed the surface of memories hidden away. Ripples swept out as it found the darker fantasies that were nightmares... and that. A small box rose from the disrupted lake at the prompting of the word Rape. Gingerly her hand reached for the piece of memory before her... I will not be harmed... Spoken as if it were a key, as the layers of protection fell away and her Sanctuary changed once more to embody the past.

"I'm in a dingy one bedroom apartment. This was home when mom and dad divorced. I was in the room me and my mom shared, reading when mom burst in the door. She tells me to hide as she picks up the phone to call the cops. In the tumult of confusion, I scramble into the closet and slide the door shut, just as the barricaded door is broken open and two men stalk in."

"One man rifles through the room and comes around with a small bag of powder. They tear the clothes from her body as she struggles to get away until she's slapped senseless. The tall man drops his pants and the room fills with her scream. They rape her, revel in the screams that fill the room until even that tires them and they silence her. The scream choked off as his hand puts pressure on her throat, cutting off the air. I watched from the closet through the small crack in the door too terrified to do anything... until then."

"I ran out of the closet, fists pounding against the one trying to choke my mom. The other man comes around and pins me to the small bed, I'm staring at those sick predatory eyes as he comments on the sundress that I was wearing... how it looks cute... and would be cuter if I were screaming in it. Huge hands start to maul at my skin, yanking the girlie panties aside... his partner laughs and says something like 'you'll tear her apart if you fuck her... ' I was too scared to scream, to speak, to beg... pure terror freezing the mind. That's when the sirens sound comes around the block. The two men get angry, and with another heavy blow on my mom, she blacks out. The man throws me against the wall... and I woke up to the police staring over me and mom." Melanie spoke in a dead monotonous voice as she recounted the event. Her face a dead white as she relived the scene in her Sanctuary, but detached enough to not feel the burn of her past.

"She vanished soon after that. She took me to my dad's place... and I never saw her since. I was eight."

 

[marauder13]

In his professional career, Gordon had heard many a disturbing tale from a client. Subject matter that horror stories are made from. But hearing the monotone recounting of that event in her childhood made him feel slightly sick. Gordon was aware of the connection he was developing with Melanie, and that was manifesting itself as that reaction. He took a glass of water to help settle his stomach.

"Melanie, thank you. Return to the Sanctuary, to the place of peace and calm. Go there, Melanie, spend time there basking in the joyous place that it is."

Gordon furiously committed his memories to paper, the information there would be extremely useful in dealing with the irrational thought processes that have been plaguing Melanie. It took him approximately five minutes to put all his thoughts on paper.

"Melanie, return to the place where you came from." He waited for a moment or two for Melanie to leave the Sanctuary. "Melanie, our time here is nearing and end. When I count to three, you will ease from the trance with no memories of what has passed. You will awaken relaxed, fresh and calm. One... two... three..."

Gordon waited for Melanie to fully awaken, he was looking at her, smiling broadly.

"I have excellent news for you, Melanie. I believe that I have found the source of your anxieties. It is a suppressed memory, which under the circumstances is quite a valid response to the trauma you suffered. But due to how close we are to the end of the session, I will tell you about what was discovered in today's session during our next session. That way, we can start the work of resolving it fully, without you spending undue time worrying about the actual source.

"While you're getting ready to leave, do you have any questions or comments?"

 

[VampiricTouch]

Melanie returned home with a nagging uneasiness lingering in the back of her mind. She didn't know why something felt wrong but it was so distant... she couldn't put her finger on it. She returned home and managed a few bites of her dinner when the rush of nausea hit. She spent the next hour clinging to the edge of her toilet as she emptied the contents of her stomach, and the tears rushed down her cheeks without reason.

The next two days she managed to make it to work with a smile that never reached her eyes. By then, sleep had faded to nothing as horrors rose each time her eyes closed. The third day, she left early, the nausea returning with a vengeance, and the fourth her manager had told her to stay at home and rest.

Sandra came over that Friday to find Melanie's brow feverish and face pale. With some coaxing, they made a doctors appointment which amounted to nothing as the baffled doctor couldn't find a reason for the onslaught of her distress. After Sandra drove Melanie back home, she called Doctor Malakhi's office to inform him of Melanie's sudden inexplicable sickness and requested to cancel the appointment.

 

[marauder13]

Gordon felt immensely pleased that this new technique had managed to unearth a deeply repressed memory that he had tapped into getting Melanie as a research assistant. With the source identified, and identified so clearly, it would make resolving the matter considerably easier. He spent an extra hour after work getting all of his case notes concerning Melanie Chan, to make sure he could be as efficient as possible.

The impact of this discovery was carried through in all of his following sessions. He seemed to be more inspired, observant and able to draw successful conclusions based of less information than normal. All of his clients were benefiting as well. Even his receptionist could see that something was going on, and it was having a positive effect.

But that all changed on Friday. After another very productive session, he was handed a note telling him of the cancellation of Melanie's next session due to illness. Something about the wording of the message had Gordon concerned. He called Sandra on her cell number, and was filled in on Melanie's current condition.

"And when did this start?" None of the symptoms seemed to match any illnesses he knew of, but he was not as up to date as a general practitioner would be.

"About three days ago. And she's been getting worse too."

"Well, just make sure that..." The thought that the revelation could have been effecting her entered his mind. He managed to unearth the repressed memory, but he realized that he had not dealt with it in any manner. The memory would have surfaced, and created stresses in her overall system.

"Sandra, where are you right now?"

"I'm with Melanie, Doctor Malakhi."

"Good, remain there. I'm coming over right away. I should be there within the hour." He hung up, and gathered everything he needed. As he rushed through the door, he paused to speak to Sarah long enough to tell her to cancel all remaining appointments for the day, due to a medical emergency.

The trip out to Melanie's apartment was a well needed distraction from the myriad of disasters that his mind would otherwise be conjuring. Oddly enough, the near hour long battle with traffic left him rather calmer than when he commenced. He found a parking spot nearby, and within a few minutes of leaving his car, he was knocking on the front door of the apartment.

"Doctor Malakhi," Sandra said as Gordon walked through the door. "I have no idea what's wrong with her. The doctor I took her to was baffled too."

"I think it might be a side effect of the therapy. I found the source of the recent problems, but I may not have dealt with them in a safe enough manner. Sandra, please stay out here. What is going to be covered is confidential, as you know, but I want you on hand just in case."

"Oh... of course. She's in her room."

"Thank you, Sandra." Gordon entered Melanie's bedroom, noting the almost practical feel to it, rather than the emotional touches a lot of women had in their bedrooms. His attention turned immediately to Melanie as she lay on the bed. It was clear to Gordon's practiced eye that Melanie was in distress, not ill.

"Melanie? Melanie, can you hear me?" He smiled gently as Melanie looked over at him. "Shhhh... Ashes are ashes, dust is dust." Even in her distraught state her ability to retreat into the Sanctuary was not impaired.

"Melanie, welcome back to the place of peace and safety. That which distresses you can not touch you here. Relax, be at peace." He watched as the symptoms of the distress started to fade. "Melanie, recently, we unearthed a buried memory of a terrible event. The rape of your mother. But this time, the memory is coming out for good. When you return to the place from where you came, you will have this memory. But the memory will have no power over you as it did.

"Melanie, you will simply remember your time here as a slow awakening."

He waited a few moments before issuing the final command.

"Melanie, return to the place where you came from."

He waited for her to 'wake up' before he spoke.

"Melanie, it's Gordon Malakhi. Melanie... what's happening? Are you all right?" He put a hand out, holding hers as a friend did to console and support.

 

[VampiricTouch]

In the stupor of high fever, the valley of her sanctuary eased the distress upon her body and proved to be a welcome escape from the dull throb that resonated negatively in her system. Her tension visibly faded as she took a breath of relief in the sanctity of her mind.

"Melanie, recently, we unearthed a buried memory of a terrible event. The rape of your mother. But this time, the memory is coming out for good. When you return to the place from where you came, you will have this memory. But the memory will have no power over you as it did.

She tilted her head to listen to the command of the voice... and cringed. She watched as her ghostly self stepped back into the scene that had tormented her in the hidden depths of her consciousness. In the terror of her replay she cowered into the corner, coiling in on herself as she struggled to come to terms with her own haunting past. The command said it would have no power over her. It would have no power over her.

Slowly she looked up to face the looming predators that shadowed over her and found the courage, if anything taken from the guarantee of those words, that she could face them.

She stood, face to face with those brutes that looked past her upon the girl they'd captured in their hands. Defiantly she internalized the past, taking it in stride as the words "Melanie, return to the place where you came from." resonated in her ears.

Her eyes fluttered open as she heard the doctor's voice call her name, "Melanie, it's Gordon Malakhi. Melanie... what's happening? Are you all right?"

There was a certain lustre of strength in her eyes despite the slight tremor in her hands. "Dr... Malakhi? You came to visit? I'm quite alright... thank you. Strangely enough... I'm feeling a lot better and ... there wouldn't happen to be food... I'm starving."

 

[marauder13]

Gordon saw Melanie return from the Sanctuary, heartened by what he saw. The eyes were always the first place to look for a change in a patient. Her eyes slowly changed as she regained control over the ability to focus. There was an increase in the depth of the colour of the iris. Even though her hand trembled slightly, the grip was good.

"Dr... Malakhi? You came to visit? I'm quite alright... thank you. Strangely enough... I'm feeling a lot better and ... there wouldn't happen to be food... I'm starving."

"Yes, Melanie, Sandra was quite worried that the other doctor she took you to see couldn't help you. I'm so sorry, Melanie. It was my fault. I brought up a repressed memory and it was more unsettling than I first thought. It caused you a fair amount of distress, which in turn started impacting on your physical health. While you were waking, I talked you through how to deal with it so it eased up on your body. In time, we will be able to deal with it properly.

"Now, on the subject of food, I'll see what Sandra can find for you."

Gordon stood up, and went to the bedroom door. Sandra leapt out of the sofa she had been sitting in, looking at Gordon with eyes wide from concern and worry.

"Nurse, the patient is hungry. Starving to use her words," he smiled reassuringly to Sandra. "Could you get her something light to eat?" Sandra nodded and went to the kitchen. Gordon returned to sit beside Melanie.

"Melanie, I am going to stay the night. I want to talk to you before you return to sleep, but more importantly, when you wake up in the morning. We will need to get some important work done to make sure that you will not be adversely effected by this again."

Sandra returned with a mug full of soup. The two of them helped Melanie sit up so she got to eat her soup. Sandra flitted between mothering Melanie, and praising Gordon for his help. Gordon just sat and watched Melanie, looking for any signs of deterioration. By the time she finished her soup, there was no further signs of such.

"Melanie, do you feel up to talking? If not, don't push yourself. If you are up to talking, tell me about that time when your mother was attacked. Tell me what you remember of it, what it made you feel?"

 

[VampiricTouch]

The question brought a cloud of unease over Melanie as it triggered the memory that had gathered dust for so long. The distress, the dull aching sickness almost came back as her mind scrabbled against the pieces of the scene, slowly placing the puzzle back together. Why did this memory suddenly fit itself into place? Why did it suddenly appear now? Why couldn't she remember this before? Sandra had stopped short at hearing the question, the unease on her face matched that of Melanie's and slowly she began to speak. Words tumbled in incoherent order as the memory stood vivid in her mind.

"I remember her telling me to hide, and watching them rape her from the crack in the closet..." Melanie paused as her eyes met Sandra's expectant ones, " I - I should probably start from the beginning" She paled as she retold her story, her hands resting in her lap as the words depicted the scene once more. Her eyes dropped down to stare at the seams of her blanket as Sandra blanched at the contents of what she heard.

A long moment of silence stretched after the story came to a close. Sandra gingerly broke the silence as she stared at Melanie, "Mel... Why didn't you ever tell me this? I could've probably helped..."

"I don't know. no... I didn't know. Didn't remember.... didn't want to remember. " Melanie murmured, "I don't know why I can remember it now. It makes me feel sick in my stomach that people could do things like this. But... at the same time I also understand that my life shouldn't be placed on hold because of something in my past. I think...that with time... I can move on."

 

[marauder13]

Gordon sat patiently as Melanie spoke of what happened to her in her youth.

"I don't know why I can remember it now. It makes me feel sick in my stomach that people could do things like this. But... at the same time I also understand that my life shouldn't be placed on hold because of something in my past. I think...that with time... I can move on."

"Melanie, the reason you can remember it now is because we found it together in the last session. But the memory still held power over you. While you woke up, I managed to slip you into a hypnotic state that allowed me to... take the pressure off you. The memory is there, and still will be for a long time. But now, you will control it, not it controlling you.

"Now, Melanie, now we can work on it, weaken it totally and allow you to resume a fully normal life. I think you will need a couple of days to recover, but then you will be fine to resume working. I can give you the necessary documentation to support the claim for time off."

He stood up, giving Melanie a brief smile. "Melanie, I will stay here tonight to make sure that I have managed to fix things. I'm rather experienced at sleeping on couches, so don't worry about me in that regard."

Gordon walked out of Melanie's bedroom, glad that his intervention was successful at stopping her continued physical deterioration. The thoughts of her in bed sparked other baser ones, which stirred distinct physical reactions. He sat down on the couch, trying to determine if such would be a valid test of his new techniques.

 

[VampiricTouch]

Melanie curled into herself as weariness took her. Her mind slowly circling the new piece of her memory warily, carefully trying to accept this new development. She never realized that she'd fallen asleep, staring at the far wall her eyes merely slipped shut to cradle her in darkness. Night had fallen when she woke, thankful that her rest was blessedly free from dreams.

She slipped from the bed, pulling a small blanket over her shoulders as she stepped out into the living room. She stared at the moonlight streaming in from the window, bathing the lone figure sleeping on her couch. A quick look around told her that Sandra had left. She glanced back at the eerie darkness of her own bedroom and found herself reluctant to return. She could still feel the sticky cold sweat she'd shed during the bouts of her fever prior to her recovery and decided on a shower instead.

The squeak and rattle of pipes as the water poured down in hot steamy waves filled the bathroom with an almost celestial cloud like atmosphere. Stripping down, she stepped into the pounding of water, feeling the stress somehow wash away with the soapy suds. Her thoughts meandered back to the piece of memory that stood out like a sore thumb and switched off the water. She rested her head against the cold tile as she tried to assess how much of her life had been affected by a memory she'd not remember till now, finally stepping out when the room had grown cold without the steam of hot water.

She moved silently from the bathroom, turning through the living room to enter her own bedroom with only a towel to maintain her modesty, her thoughts too preoccupied to remember that someone else was still sleeping in her apartment. Staring at the open drawers for something comfortable to wear, she noticed once more the boyish trend through her own clothes.

Was that also an aspect of the memory on her life? She angrily closed the drawers refusing to allow her past to dominate her any more.... and yet having nothing else to replace it's obvious evidence in her life. It was the box of clothes Sandra had picked for her that came to her rescue. Stashed away from the practical bareness of her room, she found a white silk nightie inside of her box...

She walked with a certain feminine grace that came from the certainty that she wasn't just comfortable in what she wore, but also happy with what she saw of herself as she moved. Moonlight on white, making an almost silvery gleam that clung to her, conformed to her body like that of a jealous lover.

She wandered into the kitchen, needing time to think as she brewed a mug of chamomile tea to settle down. Was it really okay to feel feminine for a change? It was pleasant to look pretty... but with what had occurred... wouldn't dressing as such be an open invitation for violence? With a clatter of her mug, she started for her room, bent on changing back into the security of her oversized T shirt as her thoughts warred with the conflict in her mind.

________________

OOC: okay okay, for those that read DarkEmpress' writing I admit, I stole a line from her bag of tricks... aaaand of which I just found out was swiped from Southernscion.

 

[marauder13]

Gordon was dragged from his sleep by the sounds of rattling. He slowly opened his eyes as his brain started getting up to speed. He rubbed his face, remembering that he was at Melanie Chan's apartment for medical observation and intervention. It didn't take him long to identify the source of the sound. Melanie had woken and was taking a shower.

Gordon was starting to settle again when Melanie walked from the bathroom to her bedroom, with a towel wrapped around her. The light levels were good enough to give her still damp legs an ethereal glow in the soft light as she disappeared from his sight. Seeing her naked and partial so in his office seemed to be nowhere near as arousing as seeing her like that in her own home. Right at that moment, his next test was decided. He just had to determine how to executed it.

When Melanie returned from her bedroom, Gordon was amazed at the transformation. Not only was the nightie an excellent choice, flattering her delicate feminine form, but the way she wore it and moved was having powerful effects on Gordon. He was startled by the power of one suppressed memory on the young woman's life, and the ease at which she was reverting, or resetting herself with the freedom from that single event.

But as she ventured into the kitchen, Gordon's thoughts became more personal than professional. The subtle shift of the fabric with each graceful step, as the hem teased her legs and showed off exactly how her body was moving underneath.

Gordon sat up and was stretching when Melanie walked back into the room.

"Hello, Melanie," Gordon spoke in a lower than normal volume.

Melanie was startled by the voice from the shadows, until she recognized the voice. "Sorry, I forgot you were still here...I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, that's quite fine. It has worked out well. How are you feeling? Please, come and sit down." He waited for the young woman to sit on the sofa with him. "Now is a very good time for me to get an idea of where you are. I must say, your choice of clothing seems to indicate a positive shift in your outlook. It seems that the memory has lost a lot of its grip.

"Do you have any questions? Is there anything that is concerning or worrying you right now? And most importantly, how do you feel physically? No temperature? No nausea? Or any other physical issues?"

 

[VampiricTouch]

She berated herself for forgetting that she had a guest, and her midnight prowling had woke him. But at the invitation, she joined him on the couch. Her fingers tugged on the silk cloth riding unreasonably high on her thighs as she flushed, hoping the room was dim enough that he'd not notice.

"Choice of clothing... " She murmured, remembering the thoughts that had been warring in her mind. "I was actually about to go back to change. I feel fine physically. The nausea is gone, I don't think I've a temperature. I'm fine really. I just need to sort all of this out in my head."

She looked up and smiled at his concern. "I think... I'm just trying to grapple with what I've just 'discovered' this afternoon."

"I mean... I got up thinking that I didn't ever want this memory to be controlling my life again.. yet there're so many aspects that I see of its influence..." She stared at the painfully bare living room and grimaced.

"And just now. The fear that... being feminine for a change could cause something like that time to happen again... Like it would be my fault that I... incited something like that to occur. " She shuddered at the thought and rose to her feet with a stammered, "I- I think I'm going to go change... Excuse me...I'll be right back."